Throughout 2025, IASP will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of its flagship journal, PAIN. Prior to 1975, there had never been a journal dedicated to pain research and management. Following two years of tireless work that began in 1973 – which included key figures such as John Bonica, Patrick Wall, William Noordenbos, Louisa Jones, and Elly Tjoa – PAIN became a reality. 50 years later, PAIN is the premier international journal dedicated to pain.
Our celebration of PAIN’s golden anniversary will continue throughout 2025 with new features and improvements in the journal. As an example, the journal has recently overhauled its Information for Authors webpage, featuring clearer instructions and a more user-friendly interface. Later this year, the page will also introduce updated guidelines and information to encourage and help guide authors to understand, navigate, and comply with evolving standards for inclusion of sex- and gender-based analyses.
Furthermore, PAIN is proud to introduce its newest article type – Pain Essays. Conceived by Dr. Jane Ballantyne – a long-standing Section Editor for the journal – Pain Essays provide a forum for articles that go beyond clinical practice and research to delve more deeply into pain’s significance in history, religion, culture, philosophy, ethics, and politics. While Pain Essay submissions are by invitation only, the journal welcomes proposals and recommendations for these articles. The first Pain Essay – written by Dr. Marshall Devor – focuses on the contributions and legacy of Dr. Patrick Wall — the founding editor of PAIN. Additional Pain Essays paying tribute to PAIN’s previous Editors-in-Chief – Drs. Ronald Dubner, Allan Basbaum, and Francis Keefe – will be published in the spring, summer, and fall.
IASP would like to thank all those that made the first 50 years of the journal a success, including its first four Editors-in-Chief, past and current members of the Editorial Board, Managing Editors, Editorial Assistants, Staff, and our Executive Board and Council. Thanks to the tremendous effort and vision of current Editor-in-Chief – Dr. Karen Davis – we are confident PAIN is poised for another 50 years of success and beyond.